October 2015

Stephen’s classmates help his sister, Alexa, cut the ribbon of the new amphitheater. Story and photos by Jo Mathis/AAPS District News When Stephen Easter died of hypothermia following a canoeing accident on a father-son campout two summers ago, his family and friends were consumed …

John Boshoven hopes many AAPS families take advantage of upcoming programs. Photo by Jo Mathis. By Jo Mathis/AAPS District News For years, Community High School has sponsored evening programs for adults charged with the most important job of all: parenting. This year, CHS Counselor/Department Chair …

Eva and Madeline, in a clip from the film airing Saturday. A new video airing this Saturday highlights the stories of teens from southeast Michigan, including two students from Community High School, one of whom has since graduated. Madeline Halpert and Eva Rosenfeld were filmed …

Diane Wahl is surrounded by fourth graders during gym class at Wines Elementary. Story and photos by Jo Mathis/AAPS District News It would be easy to mistake 95-pound, five-foot Diane Wahl for a fifth grader as she runs around the Wines Elementary gym, laughing and …

Jim Stock makes sure Haisley Elementary is safe and clean. Photo by Jo Mathis. Jim Stock was raised in Livona and Hamburg, and attended Pinckney Community Schools. He then attended U.S. Truck Driver Training School in Detroit where he received his Commercial Driver License …

When comparing the 2010-11 school year to 2014-15, the number of high school students that were suspended at least once is down 48 percent. At the middle school level that reduction is 75 percent, and a 74 percent reduction for elementary school students.

Skyline’s Amy McLoughlin holds the talking stick used during circle discussions. Photo by Jo Mathis. By Jo Mathis AAPS District News Editor Last year, a fight nearly broke out at Skyline High School. Instead, a member of the school’s 23-student “Sky Squad” who saw what …

Stephen’s Theater is a tribute to Stephen Easter who members of the Bach community say had a big personality, loved to perform, and was the type of kid people remember. Easter died in 2013 in the summer after he completed second grade, but will be remembered for years to come thanks to the efforts of Bach students, parents, staff, and the entire community.

U-M Clinical Assistant Professor Liz Kolb, in the Scarlett Middle School media center, teaches students about digital safety. Story and photos by Jo Mathis, AAPS District News Scarlett Middle School students tonight will teach their parents a thing or two about staying safe in the digital …

“It was just such a gap in the community and in the neighborhood, and so just having the kids being able to use it and even getting the adults off the street and on the sidewalk is just fantastic,” says Washtenaw County Public Health’s Lily Guzman.

Project Director Ian Shephard introduces the Japanese students visiting AAPS for a week. Story and photos by Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Fourteen students from Ann Arbor’s sister city of Hikone, Japan are enjoying the first days of their weeklong visit to Ann Arbor. “People are …

Lawton Elementary students enjoy learning on iPads. Story and photos by Jo Mathis/AAPS District News Every Ann Arbor Public Schools student can now learn 21st Century skills with 21st Century technology. The $6.2 million tech purchases can be found in every school in the district, …

With the start of the new school year there are a lot of exciting new changes across the Ann Arbor Public Schools. Here’s a brief recap of some of the exciting news that Superintendent Jeanice Swift heard about and saw while touring all of the district’s schools in the first weeks of school.